Citizens urged to keep environment clean to prevent air pollution

Ghanaians have been urged to keep their environment clean as part of efforts to reduce rising air pollution.

The call comes at the back warning from health experts who say air pollution is contributing to increasing cases of respiratory diseases and premature deaths in the country.

Dr Joan Aguyire, Specialist Physician in Internal Medicine at the Tamale Teaching Hospital, made the call in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), describing air pollution as a growing public health threat.

Dr Aguyire explained that air pollution related sicknesses had become one of the leading environmental health risks in Ghana and in some cases surpassing common diseases such as malaria.

According to her, thousands of premature deaths are recorded annually in Ghana due to illnesses linked to air pollution, including chronic respiratory conditions, cardiovascular diseases, asthma, and lung infections.

She attributed the situation largely to open burning of waste, emissions from vehicles, industrial activities, and the use of unclean cooking fuels, especially in densely populated communities.

She emphasised that citizens had a collective responsibility to reduce pollution by adopting proper waste management practices and avoiding indiscriminate dumping and burning of refuse.

Dr Aguyire encouraged households to embrace the “reduce, reuse, and recycle” approach to waste management.

She said protecting the environment was directly linked to safeguarding public health; therefore, sustaining behavioural change at the individual and community levels was essential to prevent avoidable illnesses and deaths.

Source: GNA